The Coalition should have sought a "more extensive mandate" on IR and run a more active campaign on the subject during the last election, rather than supplementing the ABCC and ROC bills with a "last minute minor change on CFA volunteers", according to Abbott Government Employment Minister Eric Abetz.
The UFU's proposed High Court bid to overturn the CFA legislation is "misconceived and likely to fail", according to Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, who is confident the new law will survive any challenge.
The Turnbull Government has today lost the most hard-line backer of IR deregulation on the Senate crossbench with the resignation of former HR Nicholls officeholder Bob Day.
The Department of Employment has clawed back $54 million from failed businesses in the first 12 months of its enhanced program to recover funds outlaid under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee, more than doubling the previous year's figure.
The Greens and Labor have today combined to initiate an upper house inquiry into a "just transition" for workers displaced when coal-fired power stations close down to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while the Senate is also set to examine federal public sector bargaining and "corporate avoidance of industrial obligations".
Senator Malcolm Roberts says he has won backing from the Pauline Hanson's One Nation party room to investigate further IR changes by "working with the Turnbull Government".
The Turnbull Government will introduce legislation early next year to give the Fair Work Ombudsman new examination powers and expressly prohibit employers from providing false and misleading information.
Former ACCC chair Allan Fels will head a migrant workers taskforce that will advise the Coalition on policies to improve employment protections for overseas workers and monitor 7-Eleven's rectification of underpayments, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash announced this morning.
The wife of the former chief officer of Melbourne's Metropolitan Fire Brigade has alleged that her husband resigned due to bullying by the United Firefighters Union.
Lawler takes on Cash; Perpetrators not entitled to domestic violence leave, says ACTU; PC floats new approach to allocating default super funds; and FWC president refuses to re-open crucial labour hire ruling.
